Yeongeun jorim (Sweet Soy Braised Lotus Roots)

September 24, 2017

Yeongeun jorim (연근 조림) is a popular fall side dish that’s made with lotus roots. It’s sweet, savory and crunchy! Lotus roots (yeon-geun) are widely used in Korea and other Asian countries. This sweet soy braised dish is one of the most popular dishes made with lotus roots in Korea. It surely deserves a spot on your favorite basic side dish (mit-banchan, 밑반찬) list.

As I mentioned in my stir-fried lotus root post, lotus root is the stem of the lotus plant, which is high in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. It has a mildly sweet taste, and a fibrous, starchy and crunchy texture.

This dish is prepared similar to other Korean sweet soy braised dishes such as kongjang and jangjorim. For yeongeun jorim, you first peel and slice the lotus roots and then pre-boil in water with a little bit of vinegar before braising. This is a technique Korean home cooks use to reduce the starch level and remove any bitterness from the lotus root.

As for the braising liquid, I simply used water as a base, but dashima broth or dried shiitake mushroom soaked water would add another layer to the flavor. You can also add a few slices of garlic or ginger if you like.

The cooking time I used here gives the right amount of crunchiness and chewiness to the lotus root to my taste. If you like it crunchier, reduce the pre-boiling time from the recipe. Likewise, if you want it softer and chewier, pre-boil longer.